The LSU football team made easy work of Kentucky, dominating the Wildcats en route to a 41-3 victory.
The win puts LSU at 6-2 on the season, 2-2 in the Southeastern Conference while Kentucky drops to 5-2, 2-2 in the SEC. The Tigers dominated Kentucky in all three phases, outgaining the Wildcats in total yards 423 to 217.
“I think what is happening is this football team is coming together,” said LSU coach Les Miles. “I think there is a want for all three phases to complement one another and play like we played tonight against some of our best opponents. I think the timing is right for that.”
LSU senior running back Terrence Magee stole the show, rushing for 127 yards on nine carries with a pair of scores, both coming in the second half. He also tallied three catches for 44 yards in the blowout victory.
Magee said his performance was good, but credits his offensive line for the success the offense had on the ground.
“It felt good but none of it would have been possible without [the offensive line],” Magee said. “It could have been anybody’s night and luckily it was me.”
The Tigers outrushed the Wildcats 303 to 71, with LSU freshman running back Leonard Fournette tacking on 15 carries, 40 yards and a score.
While the Tigers running game came alive in the second half, the game was already well out of reach for the Wildcats thanks to the strong performance by the LSU special teams.
The Tigers on the opening possession took the kickoff to the Wildcats’ 44-yard line, but after a 15-yard facemask penalty on the Wildcats, began on the Kentucky 29-yard line.
It took the Tigers six plays to punch it in the end zone when Fournette into the end zone from one yard out to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
After the Tigers forced Kentucky to go three and out on its first possession, LSU was set up in good field position after sophomore cornerback Tre’Davious White took the punt return 17 yards to the Tigers’ 48-yard line.
Sophomore quarterback Anthony Jennings (7-14, 120 yards and a touchdown) completed a pass to senior tight end Travis Dickson down the middle of the field for a 27-yard gain to the Wildcats 21-yard line. The Tigers rushed their way to the Wildcats 4-yard line before having to settle for a field goal to put the Tigers up 10-0 with 7:30 remaining in the first quarter.
The biggest play of the half came less than two minutes later, as White made a couple players miss and returned a Kentucky punt 67 yards for a touchdown giving LSU an early 17-0 lead.
“It was a block call,” White said. “It was not designed to be a big return. The coaches tell me just get what you can get. I saw Jamal Adams on the other side ready to block, and it worked. It felt great to get that first punt return for a touchdown and to do it in front of our home crowd.”
Miles said White is beginning to emerge as a return man due to his steady improvement at the position each week.
“I think Tre’Davious White is just coming of age as a returner,” Miles said. He is continuing to push the envelope there. He is incrementally improving and getting better. I think he is a very dangerous return man and he showed that tonight.”
The Wildcats settled down after the Tigers’ 17-point outburst to begin the game. On the next Kentucky possession, the Wildcats conducted a 13 play, 66 yard drive capped by a field goal to cut the Tigers’ lead to 17-3 with 1:15 remaining in the first quarter.
After a 20-point first quarter, both teams struggled to get on the board in the second. The Tigers were forced to punt three times in the quarter while averaging only 0.3 yards per rush. But after LSU forced Kentucky to punt with 1:33 remaining, the Tigers had seemingly one more chance for points before the half.
On a second down and six from the Wildcats’ 36-yard line, Jennings found Dural in the end zone to put the Tigers up 24-3 with 0:44 seconds remaining.
But on the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers squibbed the ball up the middle and recovered it at the Wildcats 42-yard line. The squib led to a Tigers 35-yard field goal giving LSU a 27-3 lead heading into the half.
Miles said the kick wasn’t planned, but it was a big lift to the Tigers heading into halftime.
“It was an accident, but it sure was a nice accident,” Miles said. “It got us three points and maintain the ball, and didn’t allow them to move the football.”
It didn’t get any better for the Wildcats in the second half as they were blanked on the scoreboard while only gaining 86 yards of offense. The Tigers exploded for 245 yards of total offense, tacking on 14 points in the latter half.